We previously listed the current top 5 richest footballers in the world and their net worth that featured the likes of Christiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Rooney and Neymar. The list was not much of a surprise to many as those world professional football players are seen as the best in the sport.

Although, soccer is not the highest paying sport in the world, it remains the most popular and the most entertaining because of the fans, aura, the soccer players, clubs, leagues e.t.c. In this article, there are series of surprise faces in the names of the top ten highest paid footballers in the world 2019.

Before we delve fully into the list of highest paid football earners in the world that was put together by 90min.com, note that not all these players play in top European football clubs around England, Spain or even Germany.

The surprise faces in the list are mostly from the Chinese league. Players like Graziano Pelle, former Chelsea star Oscar and Carlos Tevez who moved from the Premier League to China is now one of the highest paid players in the world

Top 10 Highest Paid Football Players in the World 2019

#1. Lionel Messi – £40m-a-year

Lionel Messi is currently the highest paid football player in Europe and in the world. He recently signed a contract deal with Barcelona for a £26.4million per year minus other ad-ons.

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It could still increase if he wins the Balon D’or and Champions league. The man generally regarded as the greatest ever has won everything bar a senior national team title. That wouldn’t matter much especially when you earn more than £550,000-a-week after tax.

As of today, Neymar is the one of the highest paid footballers in the world 2019 and the most expensive player in the history of the game. The ex-Barcelona star recently signed a 5 years contract with PSG currently that makes him earn 515,000 pounds a week after tax.

#3. Cristiano Ronaldo – £30m-a-year

Ronaldo left Real Madrid after 9 years at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Portuguese star, who recently won Euro 2016 signed a lucrative £30 million per year deal with new club Juventus FC. Ronaldo’s astronomical £500,000-a-week wage packet sees him come out on top as one of the highest-paid footballer in the world and in Juventus.

#4. Alexis Sanchez

He currently plays for Manchester united as a forward and became the highest earner in the premier league after his transfer from Arsenal to United. He earns £500,000 per week including £75,000 for appearance and other bonuses for performance.

#5. Bale

Gareth Bale plies his trade for Real Madrid Football Club. He signed a deal recently that sees him earn £108million over the next six years until 2022 and £346,000 per week.

#6. Hulk – £16.5m-a-year

Though he is not the comic book Hulk, Brazilian striker Hulk earns a mouth watering £317,000-a-week in China’s most populous city. He joined his new club in June after leaving Zenit st. Petersburg.

#7. Graziano Pelle – £12.5m-a-year

The Euro 2016 star left Southampton in early July and signed for the Chinese club. He raised eyebrows given he now earns £260,000-a-week to become one of the highest paid footballers in the world.

#8. Thomas Muller – £11.5m a-year

Muller is a curious case because you cannot exactly pinpoint a particular part of his game that stands out. He seems to have it all, pace, shot, positioning, dribbling ability. The German who can be rightly tagged Germany and Bayern Munich’s best player earns a mouth watering £220,000-a-week.

The Argentine who has lost three finals in three years with his country left PSG for China in January. The winger cum supporting striker earns a cool £200,000-a-week. Funny he left his former club for Hebei for a mere £4.7m transfer fee.

#10. Jackson Martinez –£10m-a-year

Does the money run dry in China? No apparently as Martinez cool £192,000-a-week contract. Martinez has bagged three goals and two assists in 10 games so far for Guangzhou who he joined in January from Atletico Madrid.

#11. Thiago Silva – £9.5m-a-year

The Brazilian is probably the best defender in the world alongside the likes of Gerard Pique, Diego Godin and Sergio Ramos. The former AC Milan defender earns £182,000 a week as captain of PSG.

Update: List of the Top 10 Best Paid Footballers In The World Currently

Recent Update: Where does Ronaldo’s £500,000-a-week Juventus deal place him?

Cristiano Ronaldo has secured a stunning £100million move from Real Madrid to Juventus and, in doing so, has sealed a £500,000-a-week contract.

His new deal in Turin sees his pay packet get bumped up dramatically, largely owing to Fiat agreeing to shoulder the burden of his £26.6m-a-year wages.

The new salary will also see him jump up to third in the list of the highest-paid footballers in the world, behind Lionel Messi (£40.5m a year) at Barcelona and Neymar (£31.7m) at Paris Saint-Germain.

Ronaldo moves above Alexis Sanchez, who earns £23.4m a year following his move to Manchester United back in January.

Players currently plying their trade in the lucrative Chinese Super League also make the top-ten list.

Kylian Mbappe, who has shone for France at this summer’s World Cup in Russia, raked in a staggering £15.9m during his loan season at Paris Saint-Germain last season – and don’t expect that to change anytime soon with top clubs clamouring for the 19-year-old’s signature.

Paul Pogba makes up the final spot in the top 10 with his £15.4m-a-year deal at Manchester United.

Carlos Tevez is now the world’s highest paid player with a salary of £615,000 per week. Neymar is the second with £515,000 a week salary he collects at PSG while Lionel Messi is the third with £500,000 per week in a contract he signed.

The Author

I am simply known as Ikenwa Chizoba. A Nigerian seasoned blogger and the Assistant admin of Nigerian Infopedia. I write for one of the most outstanding Newspapers in Nigeria. A very simple person who loves writing, reading and research. "Talents comes from God alone"